Internal-combustion or explosion engine.



K. NICOLL.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION 0R EXPLOSION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27,1910.

Patented July 13, 1915.

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ED s'rnns KONRAD NICOLL, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO I. GAUSTIN, F

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION OR EXPLOSION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jilly 13, 1915.

Application filed June 27, 1910. Serial No. 569,188.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, KONRAD NIooLL, a subjectof the King of Norway, residing in the j which 'the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to that class of engines commonly known asinternal-combustion, or explosion engines, and more particularly to theconstruction, arrangement and mode of operation of the injection nozzleand the mechanism for introducing, vaporizing, mixing and igniting thecombustible fluid or fuel. I v

' The principal object of the invention isto provide a simple,economical and eflicient 1nternal combustion or explosion engine.

Other and further objects of the invention are to provide an internalcombustion or explosion engine with means for introducing,

vaporizing, mixing and. igniting combustible fluid or fuel, adapted toprevent or reduce to a minimum the liability to premature explosions andto insure ignition at the proper instant, and also to insure completecombus-. tion, and particularly to enable a constantly heated element tobe employed for producing ignition and thorough vaporization and at thesame time reduce to a minimum the liability to premature explosions; toprovide means whereby an internal combustion engine is enabled to be runin an eflicient manner at a high temperature and to keep an ignitingelement constantly heated from the explosions and without causingpremature explosions; to enable gasolene, kerosene, acetylene, crudepetroleum or other desired combustible fluid to be intermixed with thedesired proportion of air, injected into and intermixed with air underpressure in the explosion chamber and vaporized and ignited or explodedin an eflicient manner and in such a manner as to reduce to a minimum orentirely prevent premature explosions while using either a constantlyheated element or an electric sparker or both for the purpose ofigniting the explosive fluid, and to enable each charge of air containedin the explosion chamber or piston chamber to be compressed by theaction of the piston to or near the point of highest compression beforeany combustible fluid or oil is introduced therein, and a charge of airand Oll or fuel to be intermixed in proportions which form anon-explosive mixture of combustible fluid and forced into andintermixed with the air so compressed in the explosion chamber andvaporized and exploded, all in such a mannor that the fluid contained inthe explosion chamber is non-explosive until the proper moment for theexplosion to take place.

Other and further objects of the invention Wlll appear from anexamination of the drawing and the following description and claims.

' The invention consists. in the features,

combinations, and details of construction herein described and claimed,and in the method of compressing, introducing, mixing,vaporizing andigniting the combustible fluid or fuel.

In the accompanying drawing Figure l is a View in vertical sectionthrough the center of an engine provided with my improvements andshowing in elevation an in ection .nozzle, valve operating mechanism,fuel pump, and'compressed air supply reservoir or device, and, insection, the hollow ball or igniting device, all constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a central vertical sectional view of myimproved injection nozzle; Fig. 3, a view in side elevation'of theinjection nozzle valve-stem with the air and fuel valves thereon, andFig. i, a bottom end view of the valve stem and valves shown in Fig. 3.

In the art to which this invention relates it is well known that when aconstantly heated element is used for igniting the explosive fluid andfuel is introduced into the piston chamber or explosion chamber in theordinary manner so as to form an explosive mixture which is compressedby the piston during its entire compression stroke or the greaterportion thereof and prior to the proper time for an explosion to takeplace there is great liability to premature explosions. It will also bereadily understood that merely pumping oil into the under pressure andin such proportions that the mixture passing through the mouth of theinjection nozzle is non-combustible until forced into the compressed airin the explosion chamber and vaporized by the continuously heatedelement extending into said chamber in position to deflect the incomingfuel, and by the heat of the chamber and the air contained therein, inaccordance with my invention.

In constructing an internal combustion or explosion engine provided withmeans for introducing, mixing, vaporizing, compressing and ignitingcombustible fluid or fuel in accordance with my improvements I providean engine cylinder 1 having a cylinder head 2, a casing or frame portion3, a piston 4 provided with a piston rod or pitman 5 voperativelyconnected with a. crankshaft 6, an air-inlet passage 7, an outletpassage (not shown) leading from the explosion chamber, an air-inletvalve 8 for the air-inlet passage 7 which leads into the explosionchamber 9, mechanism for automatically operating said inlet valve,comprising a spring 10, valve stem 11, a walking beam 12, pivotallymounted upon a suitable support 13, and an operating rod 14 connectedwith said walking beam and operatively connected with the cam or crankshaft of the engine in any ordinary or desired manner, all of which(including an outlet valve and valve operating mechanism and other wellknown parts of an internal combustion engine of any known type, notshown) may be of any desired or ordinary known type, form orconstruction.

An injection nozzle is provided which is constructed in accordance withmy invention, as follows: The injection nozzle, as shown in thedrawings, has a main body or casing portion 15 which forms a mixingchamber 16 having an injection hole or dis charge passage 17 adapted tocommunicate with the explosion chamber or interior of the pistoncylinder of the engine. The nozzle is also provided with an oil or fuelinlet or supply passage 18, and an air supply passage 19, each of whichleads into or is adapted to communicate with the chamber 16. Anair-valve, which is preferablysubstantially cylindrical and of somewhatgreater diameter than the portion of the chamber 16 in which it isseated with its bottom end normally intermediate the fuel or oil inletpassage 18 and the air inlet passage 19, is mounted upon a valve stem 21in position to close the air inlet passage 19 when said air-valve 20 isseated or in its lowermost position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2. AfueLinlet valve 22, which is preferably of segmental or nearlysemi-cylindrical form as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 2 is mounted upon ormade integral with the valve stem 21 and in sliding engagement with thecorrespondingly cylindrical wall portion of the chamber 16. This fuelvalve 22 has its upper end a. suflicient distance be low the bottom endof the air-valve toform a space between said valves which registers withthe mouth of the inlet passage 18 so as to permit oil or fuel to passfrom said passage and through said space between the valves and into thechamber 16 when the valves are in their lowered position. The fuel valve22 and the air valve 20 are thus in fixed relation and may be madeintegral with the valve stem 21, and the bottom end 23 of said valvestem is located inside of the chamber 16, and is conical and seated inthe bottom of said chamber in position to form a valve for opening andclosing the injection hole or discharge passage 17 of the nozzle. Theportion of the nozzle body above the fuel valve 22 and fuel inletpassage 18 has a bore or central opening 24 of larger diameter than theportion of the chamber 16 which is below the fuel passage 18, and theairvalve 20 is adapted to slide up and down in said bore. And acompressible spring 25 encircles the valve stem above and in operativeengagement with the air valve and is adapted to move the air valve 20,the fuel valve 22, and the bottom valve 23 downward from the positionsshown in dotted or broken lines in Fig. 2 to the positions shown in fulllines in said figure. The upper end of the nozzle body is provided witha screw cap 25 having a central perforation through which the valve stemextends, and a suitable packing 26 between packing glands 27 and 28'encircles the valve stem on the inside of the nozzle body and betweenthe cap and the compressible spring 25.

A ball valve 28 is seated in the fuel inlet passage 18 at a pointbetween the fuel-valve 22 and the oil or fuel pump 29 or source of fuelsupply,and is provided with a compressible spring 30 between said ballvalve and the point of communication between the fuel passage 18 and thechamber 16 adapted to hold the ball yieldingly in its seat when thepressure of the incoming fluid is not sufficient to overcome the tensionof the spring or unseat the ball. A nipple 31 screwed into the nozzlebody forms a seat for the ball valve, and a pipe 32 is connected at oneend with the fuel pump or source of fuel supply 29 and at its other end,by means of said nipple, with the nozzle, so that the passage 18 leadsfrom the pump 29 to the chamber 16. The nozzle is provided with a flange33 by means of which it may be secured to the engine, with the aid ofbolts and nuts, but it is also capable of being secured in operativeposition upon the engine and preferably upon the cylinder head, in anyordinary known or desired manner, and the nozzle and all of its partsmay be made of any desired metal.

The pump 29 is operatively connected with the crank shaft or any desireddriven shaft of the engine, preferably in such a manner that the pumppiston will make a stroke for each charge of combustible fluid to beintroduced into the explosion chamber. Although any suitable means foroperating the fuel pump may be employed, it is here shown supported by abracket 34 and operatively connected with a cam shaft 35 by means of aneccentric 36 on said cam shaft, an eccentric strap 37. on the eccentric,and a pump rod or pitman 38 having its lower end connected with theeccentric strap and its upper end operatively connected with the pistonof the pump in any ordinary known or desired manner. The cam shaft 35 isoperatively connected with the crank shaft ,6 of the engine by means ofa spur gear 39 on the crank shaft and a spur gear 40 on the cam shaftand in toothed engagement with the pinion or gear 39.

The valves 22, and 23, and the valve stem 21 on which they are supportedare operated in one direction by the compressible spring as alreadystated. They are automatically operated in the opposite direction, orraisedand released positively and in such a manner that the fuel valve22 will close the fuel supply passage 18 and the valves 20 and 23 willsimultaneously or immediatelythereafter and with the same upwardmovement of all of said valves, open the passages 19 and 17 and causethem to remain open until the air inlet valve 20' and the injectionnozzle discharge valve 23 are closed and the fuel valve 22 opened by theaction of the compressible spring 25. In order to accomplish this Iprovidea lever or walking beam 41, one end of which is connected withthe valve stem 21 by means of a nut 42 or in any suitable manner, andthe other end of which is pivotally mounted upon a suitable support orbracket 43. An operating rod 44. is pivotally secured to the lever 41,and is operatively connected with a driven shaft such as the cam shaftby means of a cam 45 on said shaft adapted to operate the rod andthereby the llever 41 and valve stem 21. An antifriction wheel 46 isinterposed between the end of the rod 44 and the cam 45, and isrotatablv mounted between fork arms of the rod in the ordinary manner.The lower end of the rod is slidablv supported by a bracket 47, and thecam 45 and the eccentric 36 are of such conformation and so disposedwith position shown in full lines in said figure, as already suggested.

An air supply receptacle 18 containing compressed air under a higherpressure than the air in the explosion chamber when the engine piston isat the end of its compression stroke, is provided, and connected withthe injection nozzle by means of a pipe 49 and a. nipple 50 throughwhich the air inlet passage 19 leads to the interior of the compressedair supply reservoir, so as to connect the latter with the chamber 16 inthe nozzle when the air valve 20 is open. The com pressed air reservoirmay be in the form of a. pump or may be provided with a pump of anydesired type (not shown) adapted to be operated by the engine, or may beconnected with any desired ordinary means for supplying air under thedesired pressure, to the tank.

An igniter made preferably in the form of a hollow bulb or ball 51forming an inner chamber 52, and having a hollow neck 53, the inner endof which forms a lip 54: is mounted in the side wall of the enginecylinder to which it is secured by means of an integral flange 55 andbolts or screws (not shown) or in any desired manner. The igniter isformed of metal, preferably cast iron, and is so mounted that the hollowneck 53 extends through the side wall of the engine cylinder and theinner end or lip portion 54 of the neck projects into the eX- plosionchamber transversely of the latter and with the concave or h-ollow sideof the lip toward the cylinder head and adjacent to the inner end 56 andinjection hole or discharge passage 17 of the nozzle mounted in thecylinder head, said lip being substantially at right angles to thedischarge passage in the nozzle and in position to receive and directcombustible fluid toward the opposite side of the engine cylinder andexplosion chamber, and also todeflect into the interior of the bulb orhollow igniter,

combustible fluid injected into the combus-.

tion chamber and against the hollow side of said lip through theinjection nozzle.

The nozzle may be heated by means of a torch (not shown) or in anydesired manner until its temperature is sufliciently high to ignite thecombustible fluid in the explosion chamber, and the heat from theexplosions and compression serve to keep it constantly hot enough tovaporize and ignite said fluid or fuel. An electric igniter may also beprovided comprising a spark plug 57 connected with and embraced withinan electric circuit in the usual manner by suitable wiring 58, andhaving terminals or electrodes 50 and 60 inside of the combustionchamber. It will thus be seen that the igniter bulb or ball 51 and lip54 may be initially heated by the explosion of combos tible fluidignited by'the electric igniter,

. and is adapted .to beiised e'ither in conj'unction with or without theelectric igniter, and that, whether an electric sparker is used or not,the igniter formed by the .bulb'or ball 51, hollowneck 53;a'nd lip 54 isadapted to be kept constantly heatedby the explosionsto a temperaturewhich will ignite the charges and also vaporize the'injected com:bustible fluid. and thoroughly intermix it, with the compr'essed air inthe explosion chamber so as to form a thoroughly homogeneous or uniformexplosive mixture inside of the explosion chamber at and not before theproper moment for the respective explosions to take place. Properignition and combustion are thus produced, and premature ignition isprevented by introducing intermixed air and oil into the compressed.

air, in the cylinder at, and not until the desired moment of ignition;

In operation, air is admitted to the piston or explosion chamber throughthe main air inlet passage by means of the valve 8, and is thencompressed by the return or comression stroke of the piston. When theair in the explosion chamber is at or near its" highest point ofcompression; the valve stem 21 is raised from the position shown in fulllines in Fig. 2 to the position shown in broken lines in said figure,thereby opening thepassages 19 and 17 in the injection nozzle andclosing the fuel inlet passage 18 by means of the fuel valve 22thechamber 16 of the nozzle having been supplied with a charge ofcombustible fluid through the passage 18 and the ball valve 28-havingbeen closed before the beginning of the compression stroke of the piston4. Upon opening the air valve 20 and valve 23 and thereby the airpassage 19 and injection passage 17 air under pressure exceeding thepressure of the compressed air in the explosion chamber is forced intothe chamber16 of the nozzle and intermixed with the combustible fluid oroil in said chamber in proportions which are by preference such as tomake a nonexplosive mixture of combustible fluid. The intermixing ofcombustible fluid or fluid hydro-carbons'and compressed air isaccomplished by pumping the compressible fluid through inlet 18 and intochamber 16 in the nozzle, while air previously introduced into saidchamber through air inlet 19 still remains in said chamber. Upon openingair inlet 19 and port 17, air istwa -4o lip or inwardly projectingend-54 of the metallic igniter which is kept heated to a suflicientlyhigh temperature to ignite the combustible mixture at the moment it be-7 comes explosive. Themixture thus forced into the explosion chamber,preferably during and at ornear the end of the compression stroke of,the piston, and against the heated metallic igniter lip is quickly andthoroughly vaporizedand intermixed with the compressed airintheexplosion chamber so as to forman explosive mixture at the momentwhen. the explosion should take place. Part of the mixture thus forcedintothe explosion chamber and against the heated lip is deflected intothe passage 53 and chamber 52 in the hollow igniter, and thoroughlyvaporized and ignited or exploded, causing a .flash of burning orexploding gases to pass transversely across the explosion chamber fromthe transversely dis posed passage 53 in the igniter and through thevaporized and compressed explosive mixture in the explosion chamber, insuch .a manner as to produce substantially complete combustion,resulting in a high degree of efficiency. The combustible-fluid injectedagainst the lip 54 is vaporized and deflected and quickly and thoroughlyintermixed with the compressed air already in the explosion chamber insuch a manner as to form an explosive mixture atand not be fore theproper moment of the explosion to occur, so that premature explosionsare prevented. The charges may be ignited by means of the electricigniter, if desired, until the igniter bulb or ball becomessuflicientlyheated, or to any desired extent.

The metallic igniter bulb or ball, however, may be initially heated bymeans of a torch as already suggested, and is adapted to be used eitherwith or without the electric igniter, and to be kept constantly heatedby the explosions.

I claim:

1. In an engine of the class described, the combination of a pistoncylinder, a piston in said cylinder, an injection nozzle provided with achamber having a passage leading into the interior of the pistoncylinder and provided with a combustible fluid inlet passage and an airsupply passage communicating with the chamber in the nozzle, an airinlet valve for said air supply passage, afuel inlet valve connectedwith the air inlet valve and movable with the latter into position'toclose the combustible fluid inlet passage simultaneously with themovement of the air inlet valve to opened position, a valve intermediatesaid chamber in the nozzle and the chamber formed by the pistoncylinder, means for introducing combustible'fluid into the chamber inthe nozzle, and means for forcing air under pressure into andcommunicate with a source of combustible fluid supply, an air supplypassage, communicating with thevchamber in the nozzle, a valve in thedischarge passage of the nozale and located intermediate the chamber inthe said nozzle and the combustion chamber, means for forcing air underpressure through the nozzle and with the combustible fluid in the nozzleinto the explosion cham ber in proportions forming a non-explosivemixture thus forced through the discharge opening of the nozzle, valvesfor opening and closing the respective openings in the nozzle, means forautomatically operating said Valves, a metallic igniter member having aninwardly projecting lip inside of the explosion chamber in position toreceive fluid injected through the nozzle, and an electric sparkerembraced within an electric circuit and having terminals inside of theexplosion chamber.

3. In an injection nozzle for explosion engines, the combination of amain body portion forming achamber having a discharge same closed whilethe air supply passage and the discharge passage are open, and to openthe combustible fluid inlet passage and keep the same open while the airvalve and the bottom end of the valve stem are in position to close theair supply passage and discharge passage.

4. In an injection nozzle for explosive engines, the combination of amain body portion forming a chamber having a discharge passage andprovided with a combustible fluid inlet passage, and having an air supply passage adapted to communicate with said chamber and with a sourceof compressed air, a valve stem provided with valves connected therewithfor opening and closing said passages respectively, a spring operativelyconnected with the valve stem and adapted to operate it, and the valves,in one direction to close the air inlet passage and the dischargepassage and open the combustible fluid inlet passage, and mechanism foroperating the valve stem and thereby said valves in the oppositedirection independently of the fluid passing the valves.

5. In an injection nozzle for explosive engines, the combination of amain body portion forming a chamber having a discharge passage andprovided with a combustible fluid inlet passage,-and having an airsupply passage adapted to communicate with said chamber and with asource of air supply, a valve stem provided with valves connectedtherewith for opening and closing said passages respectively, a springoperatively conneoted with the valve stem and adapted to operate it andthereby a valve for each of said passages respectively, in onedirection, and a movable operating member connected with said valve stemand adapted to positively operate it and thereby the valves connectedwith the valve stem, in the opposite direction.

KONRAD NICOLL.

Witnesses:

CARRIE M. GIBsoN, ADAM BALTER.

